Who was W H Lewis?

[phsvm]

Having researched all 52 men on the Roll of Honour in our village church I am down to the last few needing identification.  'H Lewis' is proving difficult so can anyone help?

 

He is listed as H Lewis on the roll but the local press - the North Berks Herald - lists him as W H Lewis, states he is from Chilton, Berkshire (which is how I know it's the same person), that he attested in Abingdon on 28th June 1915 and joined the ACC.

 

And that's it.  From a village of less that 400 residents there is no one with the surname Lewis on the 1911 census or the electoral rolls of the 1920s.  Working on the possiblity that he married a local girl, I can find no local marriages for either an H Lewis or a W Lewis.

 

The only Lewis I can find with the Army Cyclist Corps was Horace Lewis, 8735, enlistment date 30 July 1915 (which doesn't quite fit) who was discharged 14 November 1915 - Kings Regs iiicc - with no overseas service so no MIC, just a Silver War Badge entry.

 

I can't offer a prize as per Stuart Rowles' post but after the sterling work you did in helping him solve his mystery I have high hopes that you'll be able to help with this conundrum.

[chaz]

the census was 'on the day' , if he was away when the census paper was being filled in, he wouldn't have been included.

Army, prisoner, hospitalised or maybe he hadn't moved into the village early on and then moved out before the electoral rolls as census didn't get taken again for years.

he could have been in another village locally as a servant or groom.

 

on the other hand, it could be the same man, attesting, signing up on the first date and actually being enlisted into a regiment on the later.

[owen4256]

If this is a roll of those who served, as opposed to died, 1423 Corporal Willian Henry Lewis 61st south midland divisional cyclists, later Loyal North Lancs.would be my guess.

Edited 14 April , 2018 by owen4256

[roughdiamond]

Rather than looking at him marrying a local girl, maybe a local boy married his sister or indeed his widow? The problem with that hypothesis is you need to identify a possible soldier and work back.

 

Another angle is that he may have "joined the ACC" but he may not have served in a Theatre of War with them so ACC wouldn't appear on a MIC.

 

Sam

[PRC]

Hi,

 

I see he is on the Roll of Honour of those who served, rather than the War Memorial.

http://www.berkswm.org/BWM6014.html

 

There may not have been any Lewis’s from the village, but I understand the village was in the Civil Registration District of Wantage, and a check of the 1911 Census of England and Wales for the District does throw up a possibility.

 

The 21 year old William Henry Lewis, single and a Stable Lad, was recorded boarding at Sparks Farm, High Street, East Hendred. A check of the map would indicate that’s not too far away. He was born Stoke St Milbro, Shropshire. (I believe that should be Stoke St Milborough).

 

Obviously as a boarder he could have moved anywhere in the four years up until he attested – including of course Chilton.

 

However I’m struggling to find William Henry Lewis on the earlier census records, baptismal rolls or civil birth registers. The most likely match on the Civil Registers in a William Henry Lewis whose birth was registered with the Civil Authorities in the Ludlow District of Shropshire in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1889. Ludlow District included the Civil Parish of Stoke St. Milborough.

 

Assuming that is the correct individual – and that is entirely circumstantial – there is a 2 year old “Harry” Lewis, born Shropshire, who was recorded on the 1891 Census of England and Wales at a dwelling at Stoke St. Milborough. This was the household of his parents Evan Lewis, (aged 30, a Labourer, born Wales) and Annie Lewis, (aged 23, born Shropshire).

 

With a relatively common name and the lack of something definitive like a date of birth makes it very difficult to tie this to any individual in the marriage and death records. I don't have access to Ancestry or FindMyPast so can't check for Service Records.

 

Cheers,

Peter

[phsvm]

Peter - you are a gem.  This is almost certainly him.  East Hendred is within spitting distance of us in Chilton. 

 

My guess was he'd be a stable lad/groom/jockey so this fits perfectly.  He probably moved from one yard to another - both Hendred and Chilton had large numbers of yards at that time.

 

Thank you Owen as well - this looks as if it may be the same person - although why join the ACC when most of the other stable lads/jockeys I've researched (and there have been quite a few) all seem too have joined the AVC or similar so that their expertise with horses could be put to good use?

 

More investigations needed but thank you both for putting me on the right trail.

[Kath]

After a hopeless search on AN..... I found him at once in FMP.

He is on a list of the SICK & WOUNDED in France. 

List No. H.A. 1158 

It is shown sideways but I'll try to get the details.

Kath.

SICK AND WOUNDED N.C.O’s AND MEN OF THE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE – FRANCE.

ARMY CYCLIST CORPS.

1423  Cpl. Lewis, W.H.     61st. S.Mid.Div. Cyclist Cps. att. 2/4th. Glouc. Rgt.    G.S.W. to neck 

To Eng. per H.S. “St.Denis” ex 8 Sty.H.21st July’16
                
 

Edited 15 April , 2018 by Kath
More info.

[phsvm]

Kath - thank you so much.

 

YOU ARE ALL AMAZING and have come up with so much more than I ever expected to find.

 

 

[PRC]

8 hours ago, Kath said:

1423  Cpl. Lewis, W.H.     61st. S.Mid.Div. Cyclist Cps. att. 2/4th. Glouc. Rgt.    G.S.W. to neck 

To Eng. per H.S. “St.Denis” ex 8 Sty.H.21st July’16               
 

There appear to be two Medal Cards for that soldier at the National Archive.

 

One is for a Private 1423 W. Lewis, Gloucestershire Regiment and is in the category “Mentioned in Despatches, Meritorious Service Medals and Territiorial Force Efficiency Medals". Specific reference is WO 372/24/133503

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D6373386

 

The second is for a Corporal 1423 William H. Lewis, Army Cyclists Corps, who would go on to serve as 33856 Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. (N.B. No mention of the Glosters).

Specific reference is WO 372/12/83151

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D3669301

 

The actual pictures of the MiCs on Ancestry and the related Medal Rolls may tell you a little bit more and give more of a clue as to whether they are the same person.

 

Could also be worth checking out the local newspapers for both Chilton and Shropshire to see the wounding gets mentioned – although I still can’t find his father, mother and sister from the 1891 census so they may well have moved on.

 

Given the date William was moved from the Stationary Hospital its most like he was wounded in the slaughter at Fromelles on the 19th, a diversionary attack intended to stop reserves moving to reinforce the German line on the Somme but possibly even had the opposite effect. However the official history of the 2/5th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment who were in the same Brigade states they were in both in reserve on the day and certainly in the case of the 2/5th their involvement consisted of providing stretcher parties to recover the dead and wounded from the battlefield on this and the following days. The lead two Battalions in their Brigade, (183rd), barely  made it out of the British front line.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_at_Fromelles

http://lib.militaryarchive.co.uk/library/infantry-histories/2-5th-Gloucestershire-Regt-1914-1918.asp

 

Unfortunately given the tendency of many Army units to draw on the same limited number ranges, its difficult to try and identify soliers who might have enlisted at the same time, in order to look for service records to see if the army career path of William can be established. A check of MiCs for “1423 Cyclists” produces two other matches as well as William Lewis.

 

However, a quick scan chucked up some that were potentially worth checking out.

 

1414 Private Ernest Wallis became 27484 Royal Berkshire Regiment, also Sapper 245974, Royal Engineers and Private 9020 Northamptonshire Regiment.

1415 Corporal Henry G.F. Griffin became Acting Warrant Officer 2 33831 Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.

1419 Private Harry Field became 27485 Royal Berkshire Regiment

1420 Private John Gibson Fothergill became 27486 Royal Berkshire Regiment

1424 Corporal Harry Lock became 27487 Royal Berkshire Regiment.

 

They all appear to have survived the war.

 

Looking for the less common names in that lot on the 1911 Census of England and Wales, there is a 22 year old Henry George Francis Griffin, a Litho Printer born Oxford, who was living with his parents at 10 Mount Street, Oxford. The birth records for England and Wales shows a John Gibson Fothergill registered in the Auckland District of County Durham in Q1 of 1892, but there is no obvious match for that man on the 1911 Census.

 

Of course could be just a lot of co-incidences so treat with caution :-)

 

Hope that helps,

Peter

 

Edited 15 April , 2018 by PRC
Typo

[Kath]

1 hour ago, PRC said:

The second is for a Corporal 1423 William H. Lewis, Army Cyclists Corps, who would go on to serve as 33856 Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. (N.B. No mention of the Glosters).

Specific reference is WO 372/12/83151

There is no more information on the card.

 

1 hour ago, PRC said:

One is for a Private 1423 W. Lewis, Gloucestershire Regiment and is in the category “Mentioned in Despatches, Meritorious Service Medals and Territiorial Force Efficiency Medals". Specific reference is WO 372/24/133503

I can't find this in Ancestry.

The transcription from FMP has the same information.

I've not found a mention in the newspapers which are online.

Kath.

[phsvm]

Peter - having taken up your suggestions for our man being 'Harry' in Shropshire in 1891 I followed this through.  I found the family in 1901 in Bromfield and again in 1911 in Ludlow with their ever increasing brood.  By 1911 there were 7 children, inc one RIP.  They seem to have had a habit of registering their off spring with two names and then using the second name or swapping the name order around which was why you probably couldn't find them very easily.

 

Assuming this is the correct family I've now got a full picture of his siblings which I can trace down the generations to find living descendants to contact to see if they know anything about Harry.

 

Now to start working on the military leads (which will tax my brain considerably more than finding his family)!

[charlie962]

Wounded a second time but why is his Home Town or Place of Enlistment  given as Bristol ?

 

W Lewis    Corporal     1423

Wounded

Cyclist Company Divisional Mounted Troops, Attached Gloucestershire Regiment

Home Town / Place of Enlistment   Bristol

Daily List Date           29th January 1917

[charlie962]

18 hours ago, PRC said:

Territiorial Force Efficiency Medals

Army order Feb 1922 Lewis W, Pte

1423  6th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment , Latterly  33856   3 Loyal R

 

[PRC]

3 hours ago, charlie962 said:

Army order Feb 1922 Lewis W, Pte

1423  6th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment , Latterly  33856   3 Loyal R

 

Interesting,

 

I was wondering if 1423 W. Lewis Gloucestershire Regiment and 1423 William H. Lewis, Army Cyclist Corps then 33856 Loyal North Lancs were two different individuals and it was just a complete co-incidence, but that on the face of it would seem to confirm they were the same person.

 

3rd Battalion would be the depot so sounds like a man on his way out of the Army unless he was re-enlisting in the Regulars - would be interesting to know what the Medal Roll says about which Battalion(s) and units he served with.

 

As for the home town or place of enlistment, assuming its the former then the official casualty reports I've seen in the local press here in Norfolk all state the town shown is that of the next of kin - would seem unlikely the Army would issue two casualty lists. Obviously most of the time thats going to be the same as the home town \ place of residence for the soldier himself, but that is not a given. If its place of enlistment then all bets are off :-)

 

Cheers,

Peter

[phsvm]

I've now been in touch with a great nephew who doesn't recall having ever heard of William/Harry/Henry (all names I've found him under) which isn't very encouraging.  I have confirmed that the family remained in South Shropshire/North Herefordshire and I can't find any connections to Bristol.

 

A possible marriage has turned up - William Henry Lewis of the correct age married Emily Hine in Mortlake, Surrey in January 1918.  The groom's father is listed as Evan Lewis, farm baliff.  All census returns and his baptism list his father as Evan but a farm labourer - maybe a case of trying to 'better' himself?  It does however, list William as 'Sgt, Army Vet Corps' which doesn't seem to fit, although a connection to horses wouldn't be unexpected as he'd been a stable lad in a racing stables in 1911.

 

I've been unable to locate any other WIlliam Henry Lewis born at the correct time with the father's name of Evan.  Nor can I locate William and Emily on the 1939 Register or a death for him.

 

Rather than clearing the picture this seems to have muddied the waters even more!

[chaz]

regarding the great nephew not knowing, that wouldn't be surprising he did not know. although families were bigger there was not the communications as there are nowadays. even back in the sixties a trip to my aunt would have been an all day coach ride to Southport now it can be done in 5 hours. My aunt's first husband had a son but although he lived with my parents before I was born I know he was married but don't know if he had children, likewise her second husband had a son I've met him a couple of times but don't know any more of his family.

with regards to 'trying to improve himself', probable as status thing. Am I an engineer or a machinist? I operate machines but on many surveys there is not an option for machinist only an engineer or skilled manual worker. manual? the machines operate themselves and could be loaded by unskilled labour!!

[chaz]

how about the Lewis family from Shrawardine nr Shrewsbury, its around an hour from Stoke st Milborough. Father Evan 1891 and 1901 census returns

[phsvm]

The William Lewis from Shrawardine is on the 1911 census in Shrewsbury married to Annie Elizabeth Howells (married Atcham Sept Q 1908) and his middle initial is T which rules that family out quite consulsively (luckily).

 

I take your point about not knowing relatives but on the other hand I knew all my great uncles and aunts and there were plenty of them!  The g-nephew did know some of that generation but not the one I'm looking for.